The present invention relates generally to watches with variable displays and switches for controlling the display. More particularly, it concerns such a watch with a face over the display that has tactile portions that, when pressed, control or activate functions that are presented on the display. The invented watch makes use of the largest possible surface area on the watch, the face, for activating functions, while still leaving all of the face available as a display.
Watches with controllable displays are well known. These watches may display such functions as the present time, the present day and date, a timer with splits or lap times, or an alarm. The wearer controls the display and activates, i.e., sets, starts, and stops the various functions by pressing buttons arrayed around the watch on a side surface of a bezel surrounding the display. Typically these buttons are very small both in diameter and stroke, and may be recessed, making use difficult. This difficulty is compounded when the watch is on the wearer's wrist because use of the buttons on the bezel is interfered with by the wearer's hand, arm, and shirt cuff. Some watches with controllable displays incorporate larger buttons on an upper surface of the bezel but this sacrifices display space.
A watch with transparent touch electrodes on the face of the watch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,353 to Maeda et al. A watch function is activated by placing a finger of one hand directly on one of the touch electrodes while the watch is worn on the wrist of the other hand. Because activation requires completion of an electrical circuit through the wearer's body, the watch only works while it is worn on the wrist and the electrode is directly contacted by the finger. Gloves or mittens must be removed to operate the watch. Also, the touch electrodes, which are small and close together, provide no tactile indication to the wearer that a fiction has been located and selected so the wearer must look at the watch to locate and select a function.
Another watch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,044 to Olsson which describes a watch module enclosed in a case that includes a base and a transparent covering mounted over the module. The covering can be rotated in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to positions that correspond with watch functions. The covering can be depressed straight down, forcing a ball along an inclined ramp. The ball impacts a switch element closing a contact on the watch module which activates a watch function. The watch requires that the wearer grip the covering with one hand and rotate it. Unless the wearer is looking at the watch, or the wearer rotates the covering against a stop preventing further rotation, there is no way to determine which watch function will be activated when the covering is depressed. Also, only a single switch on the watch module may be activated at one time.
The watch face of the present invention preferably is mounted over a conventional watch module with a display that can present variable informative functions. The watch face includes tactile portions that a wearer can easily locate and discriminate by touching with their fingers. The wearer can then activate a watch function by depressing the watch face at one of the tactile portions. The portions may be made tactile by incorporating convex or concave areas on the watch face, or by providing any other texture or shape to identify the portion areas by touch. The watch face is supported and biased by springs or other resilient means to a neutral, central position where no switches are active. The springs return the watch face to the neutral position after depression when the wearer releases the tactile portion.
A significant advantage of the watch of the present invention is that the tactile portions, which can be transparent, are placed directly over the active part of the display. Thus, the size of the bezel surrounding the watch face where buttons are conventionally placed can be kept to a minimum while the active part of the watch display can be maximized.
Another appreciable advantage of the invention is that the wearer does not need to look at the watch to activate a watch function. This is advantageous if the wearer is engaged in a sport that makes looking at the watch difficult. With the watch of the present invention, the wearer can locate a watch function, for example, lap time, by touch, without actually activating the function, and then depress the watch at the tactile portion to activate the function. The wearer receives a positive indication that the desired function has been located by the texture or shape of the portion. The wearer also receives a positive indication that the function has been activated by the depression and return of the watch face. The wearer may then quickly glance at the display to check the lap time. The tactile portions on the invented watch can be large enough to be located by touch without sacrificing any watch display space.
A further advantage of the present invention is that a wearer who lacks effective control of the fingers can operate the watch nonetheless. The raised portions are large enough, and sufficiently distinct to be operated by the palm of the hand of a handicapped person or by a mitten-covered hand.
Another advantage of the invention is that it includes a bumper surrounding the face of the watch which protects against inadvertent activation of watch functions.
Yet another advantage of the invention is that it can be made waterproof and used in water sports. Such a watch may include indications for water depth and temperature which can be activated at a touch, giving the wearer the maximum amount of freedom to use his hands in the water sport.
A further advantage of the invention is that a conventional watch module with switches located on its sides may be used. These watch modules may include secondary functions that are activated when two of the switches are closed at the same time. The face of the invented watch may be depressed at a location between two of the tactile portions to close both switches and activate a secondary function. This is considerably easier than the conventional method of holding down two buttons, for example, with the thumb and forefinger.
These and additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood after a consideration of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.